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Hoppin' John
I used to treat Hoppin' John like a New Year's Day specialty dish — the kind of thing you made once a year with great intentions. Then I realized it's just black-eyed peas cooked until creamy and rich, with plenty of smoked pork stirring through it, and decided that meant it could be dinner any week.
Ingredients
Method
- Place the black-eyed peas in a large bowl, cover with water by about an inch, and let them soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain before using.
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the diced onion and celery; cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, cumin, paprika, and thyme; cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Add the drained peas and smoked ham hock to the pot along with the water or broth. The liquid should come just above the peas — add a bit more if needed. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check after an hour: the peas should be tender but not mushy; if they're still firm, keep cooking in 15-minute increments.
- Remove the ham hock from the pot (discard any excess fat). Pull off all the meat and shred it into bite-sized pieces with two forks. Return the shredded meat to the pot. Season generously with salt and pepper — you'll want about 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, plus more to taste. The liquid should have reduced slightly and tasted rich; if not, simmer uncovered for another 10 minutes.
- Serve over hot rice with extra hot sauce on the side. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze well for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Notes
What really changed things was using the smoked ham hock instead of bacon bits; the slow simmer infuses everything with a deep smokiness without any work on your part. I usually serve this over rice (I always use long-grain white) with hot sauce on the side — nobody needs to tell them what to do.
If you're making it from scratch, don't skip soaking the peas overnight; they cook much more evenly and come out tender rather than grainy. It's a small step that makes all the difference.
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